Braves acquire Rafael Montero in trade with Astros to beef up bullpen

Rafael Montero is on the move to Atlanta. 

The right-handed reliever and cash considerations were shipped to the Braves for the Astros in exchange for a player to be named later, whipping away a bloated contract from Houston’s payroll. 

Before the trade, Montero had pitched four innings with a 4.50 ERA and five strikeouts in 2025. 

Montero, 34, is in the final year of a three-year, $34.5 million contract that he signed with Houston during the 2022 offseason. 

The hurler, who has been with Houston for five years, has put up a 4.92 ERA across 109 ⅔ innings since the deal was signed.

He was designated for assignment in August last season and opted to accept his assignment to Triple-A Sugar Land. 

Montero was a valuable piece of the Astros’ 2022 World Series-winning team and he owns a 2.51 ERA with 18 strikeouts and a .143 opponent batting average in 15 postseason appearances during his time in Houston. 

Nevertheless, things had clearly turned the other way for him to the point that the Astros had been looking to get rid of him during this past offseason but couldn’t find any takers for the reliever, The Athletic reported. 

Bennett Sousa, a left-handed pitcher, was recalled from Triple-A to take Montero’s spot on the active roster. 

The Braves will be Montero’s fifth team in his major league career after beginning things with the Mets. 

Montero was signed by the Amazin’s as an international free agent in 2011 and made his big league debut on May 14, 2014, against the Yankees. 

He spent parts of four seasons with the Mets, where he had a 5.38 ERA and 189 strikeouts.